“I think I was pretty lucky it wasn’t worse,’’ said Tupaea, whose previous two seasons with the Flame have been interupted by multiple foot surgeries which left her watching games more than playing in them.

“I remember going for the ball, geting tangled and then hitting my head hard.

Tahlia Tupaea is still out of action after a nasty head knock. Picture: Jay TownSource:News Corp Australia

“People said they could hear it across the room.

“I’ve still got headaches and sunlight and light hurts my eyes.’’

Tupaea’s presence has been sorely missed with the Flames without stars Alex Bunton and Belinda Snell in recent times although both injured players were injected in the Flames 78-62 loss to Perth on Thursday night.

The Flames are now 0-5 for the season in one of their worse starts to the WNBL in recent times.